Card clamp for typewriter platens



Q t. 28, 1969 H. sT. LAWRENCE DANNATT 3 CARD CLAMP FOR TYPEWRITER PLATENS vm mm mm Om 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 8. 1969 H. 51. LAWRENCE DANNATT 3,474,889

CARD CLAMP FOR TYPEWRITER PLATENS 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 27 1967 3,4'74889 Patented Oct. 28, 1969 U.S. Cl. 197-136 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE' A platen with a card clamping bar connected to a toggle link actuating mechanism within the platen. The actuating mechanism releases the clamping bar When an axial force is applied to the toggle link mechanism. A central knob is connected to the platen by means of a joint which permits deflection of the band knob in any convenient direction and in response to the deflection thereof applies an axial force to the said mechanism. The joint connecting the central knob to the platen comprises a disc within a cup. An annular groove forms a lip about the periphery of the disc which coacts with a corresponding rib formed in the cup. When the knob is deflected, a point on the cup and the lip acts as a fulcrum and the clamp bar release cable is pulled axially to release the card clamping bar. The knob and platen maintain their rotatable connection even though the knob is in a defiected position. The opposite end of the platen has a card line indicator connected thereto which includes a detent ring having a single detent notch sensed by a detent roller and which is mounted on the line spacing ratchet for rotation therewith. Release of a line spacng ratchet clutch permits platen rotation without afrecting the line spacing ratchet and the detent ring, allowing adjustment of the card clamp relative to the card line indicator.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to card holding and feeding mechanism for typewriting machines and particularly to platen carried card holders, and to a printing line indicator associated therewith.

Card holding clamps for typewriter platens are well known. The prior art devices have been operable to release their card clamping bars by applying to the bal actuating mechanism either a radial force in respect to the platen, as in Benner U.S. Patent 2,023,507, or a linear force along the axis of the platen, as in Going U.S. Patent 1,954,894. The application of an operating force in either' of these directions involves the movement of the operators hand or hands which is not as eflicient as a mere lateral deflection in any convenient direction of an operating knob.

It is, therefore, the primary purpose of the invention to provide a card clamping bar operator for typewriter platens which is responsive to a lateral deflection of a hand knob in any direction in respect to the axis of the platen.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention consists in the broader as well as the more particular aspects of the card clamping bar, its operating mechanism within the platen, the universally defleetable joint between the bar operating knob and the platen, and the flexible connection between the operating knob and the bar operating mechanism, whereby the bar may be operated by deflecting the operating knob in any convenient direction in reference to the axis of the platen. Additional nevel features involved in the invention reside in the separable pin and socket connection between the platen and the operating knob by which the two are rotatably connected; the particular disk and cup joint providing a fulcrum arrangement, the toggle link clamp bar actuating mechanism, and the line indicator in combination with the clamping bar actuating mechanism; and the line indicator in combination with the clamping bar.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The foregoing structures, the purpose of the invention and its advantages, will be more fully understood by reference to the drawing which illustrates a presently preferred embodiment, When viewed in light or the detailed description to follow. In the drawing, like reference nu merals indicate like parts, and:

FIG. 1 is an external plan view of a typewriter platen in which the improvements comprising the present invention are embodied;

FIG. 2 is an external foreshortened elevational view of the platen of FIG. 1 on a somewhat enlarged scale and showing in conjunction therewith related elements of a typewriter carriage;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view on line 3-3 of FIG. 1, showing the parts thereof in a repose;

FIG. 4 is a view corresponding to that of FIG. 3 showing, however, the parts thereof operated into clamping bar release position;

FIG. 5 is a transverse cross-sectional view on line 55 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a transverse cross-sectional view on line 6-6 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a detail on line 77 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is a transverse section on line 8-8 of FIG. 2 showing elements thereof in full line and certain detent mechanism in inoperative position;

FIG. 9 is a transverse section similar to that of FIG. 8 showing, however, the detent mechanism in operative position;

FIG. 10 is a transverse sectional view on line 10-10 of FIG. 2 showing parts in full line and illustrating particularly the mechanism associated with a line spacing ratchet; and

FIG. 11 is a longitudinal sectional view online 11-11 of FIG. 9 showing parts of the left end of the platen mechanism.

The card clamping bar in association with a typewriter platen is shown in FIGS. l-6 while its associated operating mechanism comprising a principal feature of the invention is best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, wherein a conventional rubber covered platen 10 has mounted thereon a card clamping bar 12. The card clamping bar 12, as best seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, is mounted on a flat surface 14 of the platen 10 and the bar 12 itself, as shown in these latter Views, has an arcuate upper face 16 which is ideally a contnuation of the circurnference of the platen 10.

The clamping bar 12 is operatively associated with the platen 10 by means of a plurality of guide studs 18 which operate through the platen wall and extend to the interior of the platen 10 where they are connected to an operating bar 20. The operating bar 20 is mounted for radial movement in a guide frame 22 fixed radially within the platen 10. The clamping bar 12 is normally held in firm contact with the face of the platen 10 by means of a plurality of coil springs '24 having one end thereof connected to the operating bar 20 and the other end to the base of the guide frame 22. These springs 24 are so proportioned that the operating bar 20 is drawn toward the base of the guide frame 22 to an extent suflicient to hold the clamping bar 12 against the surface of the platen 10.

When it is desired to release the clamping bar 12 into the position shown in FIG. 4, such release is conveniently elrected by manipulating a plurality of toggle levers 26 which are pivoted at their respective ends to the operating bar 20 and the guide frame 22. An intermediate pivot 28 of the toggle levers 26 is connected to a clamp actuating shaft 30 whch extends along the axis of the platen 10. The clamp actuating shaft 30 (see FIG. 7) terminates at its right en d in a yoke 32 whch straddles the guide frame 22 and provides a connection for a clamping bar release cable 34. The clarnpng bar release cable 34 is threaded through a right end plate'n shaft 36, and therebeyond it is connected to a clamp bar release knob 38. The distal end of the clamp bar release cable 34 is attached to a cable connector 40 (FIG. 3) whch extends through the shank of the cable bar release knob 38 where its screw-threaded end in conjunction with a cable tension adjusting nut 42 permits minor adjustments in cable tension.

At this point, it can be seen that if the cable bar release knob 38 is pulled to the right in an axial direction, the clamp actuating shaft 30 will spread the toggle levers 26 with the result that the operating bar 20 is moved outwardly along the radius of the platen 10 and the clamping bar 12 is released. However, since such axial movement of the clamp bar release knob 38 is inconvenient and afords no advantage over the prior art devices, the clamp bar release knob 38 is arranged in joy stick fashion, so that a inere lateral deflection of the knob 38 at any convenient angle will result in the release of the clamping bar 12. T this end, the release knob 38 is connected to the platen by a fulcrumed joint arrangement. Conceptionally, the connection between the two may be in the form of a modified ball and socket joint which has means permitting a relative separation of the ball and socket to apply an axial force to the clamping bar release cable 34, or, as specifically shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, in the form of a disk operating in a cup, without particular regard to whch of the elements of the joint are on the release knob 38 or on the platen 10. The cup and disk connection has been selected for illustration and specific description as a preferred embodiment by which the invention may be disclosed advantageously.

In a specific form of the invention here selected for purpose of illustration, the clamping bar release knob 38 has formed therein a cavity forming a cup whch provides an annular rib 44 (see FIGS. 3 and 4) adapted to cooperate with a clutch disk 46. The clutch disk 46 has an annular groove 48 (see FIG. 4) therein, defined in part by an annular lip 50 adapted to mate with the annular rib 44. The annular rib 44, in combination with the annular lip 50, constitute a species of joints whch permit a to deflection of the clamp bar release knob 38 in any direction in reference to the axis of the platen 10. This relatonship and coaction is shown in FIG. 4. When the clamp bar release knob 38 is deflected in any convenient direction, a point along the annular rib 44 and a point on the annular lip 50 coact as a fulcrnm about which the release knob 38 may pivot, thereby pulling the clamping bar release cable 34 outwardly and thereby operatng the toggle mechanism to release the clamping bar 12.

The clutch disk 46 is formed with an axial hub 52 adapted to fit about the outer end of the right end platen shaft 36 to whch t is attached by means of a set screw 54. The conventional bearing sleeve by which the right end of the platen 10 is mounted in the carriage is interposed between the inner end of the axial rub 52 and the adjacent end of the platen 10.

Extending outwardly from the clutch disk 46 are a plurality of drive pins 56 which are adapted to enter respective drive pin sockets 58 formed in a clutch plug 60 seated in a minor cavity defined in part by the annular rib 44 of the clamp bar release knob 38. Thus, When in its normal operative position as shown in FIG. 3, the clamp bar release knob 38 will be securely connected to the rght end platen shaft 36 through the drive pin sockets 58, the drive pins 56 and the axial hub 52.

A .sufiicient number of drive pins 56 are provided, pref- 4 erably equally spaced about the clutch disk 46, so that one or more are always engaged with their respective drive pin sockets 58, without respect to the angle at whch the release knob 38 is deflected. So arranged, the platen 10 can be rotated even though the release knob 38 is deflected. The clutch pins 56 are securely bonded to the clutch disk 46, and the clutch plug 60, which is prefer ably made of rubber or other suitable re.silient material, is firmly secured in the base of the clamp bar release knob 38.

It should now be evident that opeartion of the clamping bar 12 into its released position completely eliminates the necessty for generally unnatural motions such as the application of either axial or radial forces as in the prior art, but that its operation can be accomplished by the completely natural deflection of the clamp bar release knob 38 in any convenient direction. Upon such deflection, the clamping bar release cable 34 will be pulled outwardly with the result that the clamp actuating shaft 30 will follow its movement. Such movement of the clamp actuating shaft 30 will spread the toggle levers 26 thus moving the operating bar 20, its attached guide studs 18, and the clamping bar 12 outwardly into the position illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 6. Upon release of the clamp bar release knob 38, it will spring back to its normal position since the clamping bar release cable 34 is under tension by reason of the springs 24. All the drive pins 56 will reengage the drive pin sockets 58, so that rotation of the clamp bar release knob 38 will effectively rotate the platen 10 during normal platen indexing operation. Concurrently, the return springs 24 will draw the operating bar 20 inwardly toward the axs of the platen 10 with the result that the clamping bar 12 will be in clamping contact with the face of the platen 10.

Preferably, the platen 10 is also provided with card stops 62 and 64 attached to the face of the platen 10 in axial alignment with the clamping bar 12. Such stops 62 and 64 are useful in the lateral positioning of the cards being typed, servng the function, as they do, of the conventional paper guide found in all typewriter carriages. The position of the card stops 62 and 64 may be adjusted by reason of an oblong slot 66 therein provided for an attaching screw 68. The card stops 62 and 64 can be .shifted in an axial direction smply by backing ofi their attaching screws 68 and moving the stops 62 and 64 as required and permitted by the oblong slot 66.

In connection with a card clamp arrangement for typewriter platens, it is highly desirable to provide some means for conveniently locating the first line of the card on whch typng is to be performed. Devices for this purpose have been heretofore suggested as in the J. A. B. Sn1ith U.S. Patent 2,272,098. The arrangement for that purpose heren provided comprises an improvement over the prior patents. The mechanism involved in this feature of the invention is best shown in FIGS. 8-11.

In FIG. 10 of the drawng is shown a conventional line spacing ratchet 70 in conjunction with its detent 72 mounted on a ratchet detent arm 74 whch is mounted on the carriage structure. The detent arm 74 is biased against the ratchet teeth 76 by a ratchet detent spring 78 coiled about the detent arm pivot screw 80 and having one end connected to the ratchet detent arm 74 and its other end in abutment with the carriage base 82.

The line spacing ratchet 70 heren has been modified to accommodate a detent ring 84 (see FIGS. 9 and 11) seated on an inwardly projecting flange 86 (FIG. 11) formed on the conventional line spacing ratchet 70. The detent ring 84 at one point in its circurnference, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, has formed therein a single detent notch 88 whch cooperates with a detent roller 90 also mounted on the carriage structure. When the detent roller 90 enters the detent notch 88 as the platen 10 is rotated, t serves as a signal to the operator that the platen 10 has been rotated to a predtermined position whch may correspond to the first line of typng on the card being processed. The signal comprises both an audible click when the detent 90 enters the detent notch 88 and increases the torque required to pro duce further rotation of the platen 10 untilthe detent 90 and the detent notch 88 are disengaged from each other.

The detent roller 90 is carried by a detent arm 92 mounted for rocking movement on a pivot sleeve 94 (FIG. 11). This sleeve 94 is supported from the end frame of the carriage by the detent arm pivot screw 80. The detent arm 92 is formed with a hub 96 assembled in bearing relationship to the sleeve 94 for free rocking motion thereon. The detent arm 92, however, is urged toward the detent ring 84 by means of a detent spring 98 which is coiled about the hub 96 and having one end connected to the detent arm 92 and the other end in contact with the carriage base 82 in a fashion similar to the corresponding spring 78 which biases the ratchet detent arm 74.

It will become highly desirable fron1 time to time as, for example, when using a conventional platen to disable the detent roller 90. Provding an arrangement for this purpose is a depending detent latch arm 100 (FIGS. 8 and 9) to the end of which is pivoted a detent latch 102. The latch arm 100 has a laterally extending latch stop 104. In the operative position of the detent arm 92, the latch 102 is manually rotated into contact with the latch stop 104 where it will rest, as shown in FIG. 9. When it is desired to disable the detent roller 90, the detent arm 92 is manually rotated in a counterclockwise direction, as shown in FIG. 8, where it is held in the retracted position by abutment of the detent latch 102 with the carriage base 82.

It should be mentioned that when the detent ring 84 is mounted on the line spacing ratchet 7 0, the relative rotational position of the two elements must be adjusted to put them in phase with their respective detent rollers 90 and 72, respectively. That is to say, before the position of the detent ring 84 is fixed in respect to the ratchet 70, it should be ascertained that the ratchet detent 72 is seate d properly and fully in one of the ratchet teeth 76 while at the same time the detent roller 90 is also properly and fully seated in the detent notch 88 of the detent ring 84. When this rotational position is reached, a plurality of circumferentially spaced set screws 85 in the detent ring 84 are screwed down against the flange 86 of the line spacing ratchet 70. This serves to lock the detent ring 84 to the line space ratchet 70 so that the two will rotate together with no relative rotation between them. The two will remain in phase and require no further adjustment.

It is contemplated that the feature may be usefully employed for typing cards within a Wide range of lengths. Therefore, to condition the platen 10 for the processing of cards of any given size, the platen 10 and line spacing ratchet 70 are rotated until the detent roller 90 falls into the detent notch 88. The platen 10 is now released from its line spacing ratchet-detent ring assembly 70 and is independently rotatable until the card clamp 12 is in the proper position to present the selected line of a card held thereby at the line typing position. After this position has been reached, the line spacing ratchet-detent ring assembly 70 is again connected with the platen 10 for simultaneous rotation upon normal line spacing operation of the platen 10.

The mechanism provided for this purpose is largely conventional and is shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. The left end of the platen 10 has fixed thereto an end block 106 which extends into the platen 10 and has an exterior surface on which the line spacing ratchet-detent ring assembly 70 is rotatably mounted. The end block 106 has an outwardly opening axial cavity 107. A tubular platen hub 108, having a radal platen end plate 110 at its inner end, is attached to the end block 106 by means of a plurality of screws which extend through the platen end plate 110 and into the end block 106.

A ratchet release shaft 112 is mounted in the platen hub 108 for limited axial movement therein. The outer end of the ratchet release shaft 112 has a ratchet release button 114 attached thereto by which the ratchet release shaft 112 may be pressed inwardly. The axial cavity 107 of the end block 106 accommodates the inner end of the ratchet release shaft 112, a clutch bar 116, and a clutch spring 118 which is interposed between the inner end of the ratchet release shaft 112 and the inner wall of the end block cavity 107. The face of the end block 106, as best seen in FIG. 10, is slotted to accommodate the outer ends of the clutch bar 116 which extend through these slots and have formed in the end faces thereof clutch bar teeth 120 and which are normaly in engagement with similar teeth 122 formed on the inner face of the annulus comprising the line spacing ratchet 70. From the foregoing, it can be seen that when the ratchet release shaft 112 is in its normal position, as shown in FIG. 11, and the clutch bar teeth 120 are in engagement with the internal teeth 122 of the line spacing ratchet 70, rotation of the platen knob 124 will cause rotation both of the platen 10 and the line spacing ratchet-detent ring assembly 70. Torque for rotation of the platen 10 is transmitted from the platen knob 124 through the platen hub 108 by reason of a spline connecton between the knob 124 and the hub 108. The end block 106 in turn rotates the clutch bar 116 whose teeth 120 normally engage the internal teeth 122 of the line spacing ratchet 70.

When the ratchet release button 114 is depressed against the tension of the clutch spring 118, the clutch bar 116 will be moved deeper into the end block cavity 107 and the clutch will thereby be disengaged from the line spacing ratchet-detent ring assembly 70. The disengagement results from the fact that the clutch bar 116 and its teeth 120 are moved inwardly to a point at which the clutch bar 112 and the ratchet 70 are no longer in driving engagement. Rotation of the platen knob 124 will now rotate the platen 10 without an accompanying positive rotation of the line spacing ratchet-detent ring assembly 70.

When it is desired to condition the platen 10 for the typing of cards of a given size and a predetermined initial line, the platen knob 124, in its normal position, will be rotated with the resulting rotation of the platen 10 and line spacing ratchet-detent ring assembly 70 until the card clamp 12 is accessible at the front of the earriage. Thereupon the card clamp 12 is released as previously described, and one edge of a card, shown in dot-dash line C in FIG. 6, is engaged under the card clamp 12. Rotation is resumed until the detent roller falls into the detent notch 88. At this point, the ratchet release button 114 is depressed, as above described, releasing the line spacing ratchet-detent ring assembly 70, and the platen 10 alone is further rotated until the selected line on the card registers with the line typing position of the typewriter. The ratchet release button 114 is then released, the clutch bar 116 is thereby re-engaged with the teeth 122 of the ratchet under the influence of the spring 118, and the machine is now conditioned for the subsequent typing of additional cards of the same size and line configuration without further adjustment. Thereafter, when a blank card is engaged under the card clamp 12, the platen 10 and line spacing ratchet-detent ring assembly 70 are rotated as a unit until the detent roller 90 falls into the detent notch 88 which is a signal to the operator that the card is now properly positioned for typing of the first line.

It should be noted that the clutch teeth 120 and 122 are relatively small compared to the ratchet teeth 76. This permits the very fine rotational adjustment of the platen 10 after the detent roller 90 and the detent notch 88 have been engaged with each other.

From the foregoing, it can be seen that the card clamp and the line indicator operate in concert to provide a pair of reference poirrts which greatly facilitate the registration of any selected line of a card at the type line of a typewriter, thereby speeding the card typing operation far beyond that which would be possible Without these aids.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cylindrical typewriter platen having a tubular body portion, a card clamping bar mounted on the surface of said platen, clamping bar operating mechanism operatively responsve to an axial force within the body of said platen, means extendng through the wall of said platen operatively connecting said clarnping bar and said operating mechanism, a hand knob, axially movable actuating means connecting said operatng mechanism and said hand knob, and a universally deflectable fulcrumed joint connecting said hand knob to one end of said platen, whereby a lateral deflecton of said hand knob in any directon is effective to move said actuating means in an axial direction.

2. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein said joint comprises a disk seated within a cup.

3. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein said hand knob has a cup at its inner end and said platen has a disk at an end thereof disposed within the cup.

4. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein separable pins and sockets in said joint connect said hand knob and said platen into rotational relaton.

5. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein said joint comprises a disk seated within a cup, said disk has an annular groove forrning a lip about the perphery thereof, and said cup has an internal rib coacting with said groove and forming therewith a fulcrum.

6. The mechanisrn of claim 1, wherein said joint comprses a disk seated within a cup, said cup has a pluralty of sockets therein, and said disk has a plurality of corresponding pins extending from its face and into said sockets.

7. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein said actuatng 8 means includes a flexible cable extending along the axis of said hand knob and is attached thereto at its free end.

8. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein said operating mechanism includes an operating bar to which said card clarnpng bar is connected, and a plurality of toggle links supporting said operatng bar.

9. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein said operating mechanism includes an operating bar to which said card clarnping bar is connected, a plurality of toggle links supporting said operating bar, and a connection between said axially movable actuating means and the intermediate joint of said toggle links.

10. The mechanisrn of claim 1, wherein said operating mechanism includse an operating bar to whch said card clan1ping bar is connected, and said operating bar is mounted in a guide frame for radial movement within said platen.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 687,000 11/1901 Barron.

927,203 7/ 1909 Yaw.

980,689 1/1911 Smith. 1303,879 5/ 1919 Gabrielson. 1,582,031 4/ 1926 Gabrielson. 1,749,835 3/ 1930 Myers. 1,945,894 2/ 1934 Going. 2,023,507 12/ 1935 Benner. 2,841264 7/ 1958 Tibbling. 3208,575 9/1965 Emig.

ERNEST T. WRIGHT, .R., Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

